VII

Finally got around to changing the chain on my C230, the job turned into something more dificult than expected as the chain skip while drawing in the new chain and I broke a 75 dll bolt when removing the front head cover

With all this behind me I just wanted to make sure I set the timing right and who better to ask than you guys

Pics attached

Thnx!

sammydragon3

yea its off did u remove the exhaust cam?

VII

No, I did not. just the intake(driver side).

How should it be ?

I thought everything had to be aligned

Hogger

If I remember right, I thought there was some small engraved triangles on the back of the cam sprockets to line up with the marks on the cam cradle/cage housing.

VII

I didn't see any arrows on the back of the camshaft adjusters.

I have the instructions but they are not perfectly clear for me. The document reads:
"The cams of the inlet and exhaust
camshaft at cylinder 1 must be positioned
upright at an angle (arrows, picture 2)."
What does this mean??
And later reads:
"The markings on camshaft adjusters (3) (red on attached picture?)
must be aligned with markings (B) (green?) at
camshaft bearing housing (arrows, picture 1).
...
The camshaft adjusters (3) require no
particular adjustment, as they automatically
take on a basic position to the camshafts
when engine is vertical."
What I did or thought I did was to align the arrows (green in attached picture) to the grove on the top of the camshaft adjuster (red).
The document pictures show other lines (yellow, orange, blue) are those supposed to be in some position as well?

VII

Stuka Bomber

Wait, why did you change the lifetime chain?

ncmudbug

You mean like the lifetime auto-tranny fill?

Stuka Bomber

Still new to mercedes. I've always believed a manufacturer when they told me a part was lifetime.

What are symptoms of a chain in need of replacing?

VII

Apparently before failure the chain hits the timing case making noise at start up. At that point it is imperial you fix the issue as ignoring it will result in new-refurb head being needed.
I changed it before symptoms as I do not normally drive that car to rely on hearing the noise.

ncmudbug

There doesn't seem to be a consistent mileage where they go bad. Some go early and others seem to last forever (at least from my experience on this forum).

Hogger had a good write up about it here: https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ine-apart.html

ambit

That actually looks good to me, about the same I set mine at.



Does it turn over without any mechanical interference? Pull the spark plugs, it will spin easier.

VII

Yes, spark plugs are removed and it spins by hand without interference.
Thanks ambit!

sammydragon3 got the paranoid in me running, I was worried the adjusters were not correctly positioned.
I'm gonna be closing it up tomorrow and post back.

VII

Finally had time to put it back together, and it won't start.
Car cranks but it seems as there is not spark or fuel in the cylinders.
ME control module reports "Intake camshaft hall sensor no signal" and "Intake camshaft hall sensor position implausible" faults, normally I would just buy the sensor but it was working just fine before.
Does anyone know if the car should run if the sensor is just unplugged?
Are these sensors particularly delicate? (I gave it no hard treatment, did not even remove it from the cover)
The cover gasket is new and I followed the 9 nm torque spec which is very little, this probably results in an increased clearance between the sensor and the camshaft, maybe I should try more torque?
Any information on exactly how the sensor works and how it is used for ignition would be highly valuable.

Btw I removed the cover after the start attempts and the timing is still like the pictures.

VVF

Did you figure out what the issue was? Does it run now?

VII

Yes sadly for me the battery had run low. Apparently the error is normal for an engine that does not start from what I read, no faults in ME after battery charge and start.
Car is back on the road for a long stint of repair free service I hope.